Sports belt

ABSTRACT

A sports belt includes a connector strip for securing a golf glove. The belt includes a belt strip, a belt buckle at one end of the belt strip, and holes at an opposite end of the belt strip. The connector strip is cooperable with the belt strip and is configured to secure an object, such as a golf glove, to the belt strip.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/691,425, filed Aug. 21, 2012, the entire contentof which is herein incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

(Not Applicable)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golf is popular in the summer months despite many areas of the countryhaving high heat and humidity. While playing golf, golfers typicallywear a golf glove to improve grip and to prevent calluses and blisters.Golfers may take off and put on their glove several times throughout around. For example, many golfers remove their glove when putting.

Once removed, golfers usually stuff their glove in their back pocket.Because of the heat and humidity, however, the glove may be damp fromsweat and/or the humidity in the air. Stuffing a damp glove in theirpocket not only prevents the glove from getting a chance to air out, butworse yet, it dampens the contents of the golfer's pocket (such as ascore card) and the golfer's shorts.

To avoid this, some golfers throw their glove on the green beforeputting. This causes more problems, however, as it is easy to forget.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It would be desirable if there were somewhere else for golfers to securea glove when it is removed.

Most golfers wear a belt when they play golf, and the belt is a logicalplace to secure the glove. Nearly all golf gloves include a securingflap that is secured with a hook and loop fastener (e.g., Velcro®). Itwould be desirable to incorporate structure into a belt that would becooperable with the existing fastening components of the golf glove.

In an exemplary embodiment, a belt includes a belt strip, a belt buckleat one end of the belt strip, and holes at an opposite end of the beltstrip. A connector strip is cooperable with the belt strip and isconfigured to secure an object to the belt strip.

In one arrangement, the connector strip includes a hook part or a looppart of a hook and loop fastener.

The belt may include two connector strips. In this context, the twoconnector strips may be positioned such that in use, the connectorstrips are positioned on opposite sides of a rear belt loop.

The belt strip may include an inner layer and an outer layer, where theouter layer includes a window, and the connector strip is secured to theinner layer adjacent the window. In an alternative arrangement, theconnector strip is secured to the belt strip with an adhesive.

A color of the connector strip may substantially match a color of thebelt strip. In one arrangement, the connector strip may be formed into alogo or personal design.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and advantages will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a sports belt including connector strips;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sports belt; and

FIG. 3 shows the sports belt in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, a belt conventionally includes a beltstrip 10 a, a belt buckle 10 b, and holes 10 c cooperable with the beltbuckle. The belt strip 10 a according to preferred embodiments includestwo connector strips 12 (such as the hook part or the loop part of ahook and loop fastener). The belt 10 may alternatively include oneconnector strip 12 or more than two connector strips 12. The connectorstrips 12 enable a golfer to remove his golf glove 14 and attach itsecurely and unobtrusively to the belt 10. The Velcro® from the glove 14clings tightly to the Velcro® on the belt 10. Additionally, the glove 14is no longer a lump in the golfer's back pocket but hanging just rightor left of the golfer's lower back.

Preferably, the belt strip 10 a is assembled using layered materials,such as leather. That is, the belt strip may be formed with at least aninner layer and an outer layer. The belt buckle 10 b is secured to thebelt strip 10 a, and the holes 10 c are formed. In one embodiment, awindow 10 d is formed in the outer layer, and the connector strips 12can be secured to an outside surface of the inner layer adjacent thewindow 10 d such that the connector strips are effectively embedded intothe belt 10. Alternatively, the strips can be fastened via an adhesiveor the like to an exterior surface of the belt 10.

The sports belt of the preferred embodiments will work like any otherbelt, that is, it still holds one's pants up. However, in onearrangement, the fastener strips that when put through the loops of mostpants will be on either side of the rear belt loop. The Velcro® stripscan be discreet in that the color of the strips can match the color ofthe belt or alternatively be purposely noticeable. An individual cancreate a personal design or a company can add a logo as the strips.

While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. A belt comprising: a belt strip; a belt buckle at one end of the beltstrip and holes at an opposite end of the belt strip; and a connectorstrip cooperable with the belt strip, wherein the connector strip isconfigured to secure an object to the belt strip.
 2. A belt according toclaim 1, wherein the connector strip comprises a hook part or a looppart of a hook and loop fastener.
 3. A belt according to claim 1,comprising two connector strips.
 4. A belt according to claim 3, whereinthe two connector strips are positioned such that in use, the connectorstrips are positioned on opposite sides of a rear belt loop.
 5. A beltaccording to claim 3, wherein each of the two connector strips comprisesa hook part or a loop part of a hook and loop fastener.
 6. A beltaccording to claim 1, wherein the belt strip comprises an inner layerand an outer layer, and wherein the outer layer comprises a window, theconnector strip being secured to the inner layer adjacent the window. 7.A belt according to claim 1, wherein the connector strip is secured tothe belt strip with an adhesive.
 8. A belt according to claim 1, whereina color of the connector strip substantially matches a color of the beltstrip.
 9. A belt according to claim 1, wherein the connector strip isformed into a logo or personal design.
 10. A belt comprising: a beltstrip; a belt buckle at one end of the belt strip and holes at anopposite end of the belt strip; and a pair of connector stripscooperable with the belt strip, each the connector strips comprising ahook part or a loop part of a hook and loop fastener, wherein theconnector strips are positioned such that in use, the connector stripsare disposed on opposite sides of a rear belt loop.
 11. A belt accordingto claim 10, wherein the belt strip comprises an inner layer and anouter layer, and wherein the outer layer comprises a pair of windows,the connector strips being secured to the inner layer adjacent thewindows, respectively.
 12. A belt according to claim 10, wherein theconnector strips are secured to the belt strip with an adhesive.